Houzz Tour: A Bland Developer Flat Gains Class and Character
Pale, space-stretching colours, tactile materials and dashes of colour have added personality to a plain city flat
Sarah Warwick
20 May 2018
Houzz Contributor. I'm a freelance journalist and editor writing for nationals, magazines and websites. A serial house revamper, I love great design, beautiful interiors and practical solutions.
Houzz Contributor. I'm a freelance journalist and editor writing for nationals, magazines... More
Good bones made this two-floor apartment a promising prospect, but it had the anonymity of a development, and was ready for its own character. The owners had an idea of the direction they wanted to go in – minimalistic but not sterile – and had some beautiful artworks to accommodate, so they called on designer Olga Alexeeva of Black & Milk to turn the spaces from bland to beautiful.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A couple and their two children
Location West London
Property A flat in a converted building
Size Two bedrooms and two bathrooms
Interior designer Olga Alexeeva of Black & Milk
Photos by Philip Durrant
To meet the couple’s brief for a clean-looking interior, Olga Alexeeva proposed a pastel scheme, which she accented with brighter spots. “I added a bit of colour with a rug and curtains and smaller elements, such as artwork, to make it more dynamic,” she says.
Green is a favourite for the couple, so this artwork in the living room hits the spot, and chimes with paler green accessories in the room.
Who lives here A couple and their two children
Location West London
Property A flat in a converted building
Size Two bedrooms and two bathrooms
Interior designer Olga Alexeeva of Black & Milk
Photos by Philip Durrant
To meet the couple’s brief for a clean-looking interior, Olga Alexeeva proposed a pastel scheme, which she accented with brighter spots. “I added a bit of colour with a rug and curtains and smaller elements, such as artwork, to make it more dynamic,” she says.
Green is a favourite for the couple, so this artwork in the living room hits the spot, and chimes with paler green accessories in the room.
Although the owners’ preference was for minimalism, they wanted to incorporate some classic touches into the décor. In the living room, Olga achieved this with a marble-topped coffee table.
“I used honed marble rather than polished,” she says. “It isn’t as shiny, but you can see the detail if you look, so it’s understated luxury.”
The rug – which Olga designed herself – and curtains add further green accents.
Track down an interior designer for your project on Houzz
“I used honed marble rather than polished,” she says. “It isn’t as shiny, but you can see the detail if you look, so it’s understated luxury.”
The rug – which Olga designed herself – and curtains add further green accents.
Track down an interior designer for your project on Houzz
The living room needed to accommodate a sizeable sculpture (seen on the left). “It had to be a focal point, because otherwise it was too big,” Olga says. “I took it as a starting point, but I had to play around with the zoning, because the owners still wanted a TV, so there were two focal points.”
Accordingly, she positioned the sofa and armchairs facing each other, with the statue to one side and the TV to the other (hidden behind sliding doors in this photo).
Gatsby sofa, Softhouse.
Accordingly, she positioned the sofa and armchairs facing each other, with the statue to one side and the TV to the other (hidden behind sliding doors in this photo).
Gatsby sofa, Softhouse.
To avoid the large TV dominating, Olga came up with the idea of fitting it into a bespoke unit with shelving above and below. It’s in oak veneer to match the flat’s whitewashed oak flooring.
“The design was kept very simple, and verticals were added to make it more dynamic,” she explains.
Behind the TV screen is an imitation marble panel that mirrors the coffee table’s top. It hides cables and the internet connection.
“The design was kept very simple, and verticals were added to make it more dynamic,” she explains.
Behind the TV screen is an imitation marble panel that mirrors the coffee table’s top. It hides cables and the internet connection.
Abstract artwork on sliding doors conceals the TV when it’s not being watched.
Some of the plants in the apartment are real – including succulents and cactuses – and some are realistic-looking fakes. Olga displayed some of the plants in copper and brass vases to amp up the luxury.
Discover how to decorate with small accessories
Some of the plants in the apartment are real – including succulents and cactuses – and some are realistic-looking fakes. Olga displayed some of the plants in copper and brass vases to amp up the luxury.
Discover how to decorate with small accessories
The kitchen-diner is open-plan to the kitchen, so Olga used a round sisal rug that echoes the table shape to zone the area. The chairs with padded seats invite lingering. “I wanted to make the dining space elegant, simple and comfortable, so we decided to go for armchairs rather than chairs,” she says.
The owners liked the idea of incorporating a natural finish with wooden furniture, and the shapes were kept fuss-free to avoid overcrowding the area.
Above the table is a statement light fitting, and on the far wall Olga compensated for the lack of architectural features in the property by hanging a suede-effect wallpaper that mimics wood panelling. “It’s soft to the touch and three-dimensional,” she says.
With the beautiful wallpaper in place, Olga chose to hang a tinted mirror rather than artwork to avoid visual overload.
Caisson wallpaper, Arte. Bolle pendant light, Giopato & Coombes. Quadro mirror, Made in Design.
The owners liked the idea of incorporating a natural finish with wooden furniture, and the shapes were kept fuss-free to avoid overcrowding the area.
Above the table is a statement light fitting, and on the far wall Olga compensated for the lack of architectural features in the property by hanging a suede-effect wallpaper that mimics wood panelling. “It’s soft to the touch and three-dimensional,” she says.
With the beautiful wallpaper in place, Olga chose to hang a tinted mirror rather than artwork to avoid visual overload.
Caisson wallpaper, Arte. Bolle pendant light, Giopato & Coombes. Quadro mirror, Made in Design.
The spacious hallway leads off the kitchen-diner. Olga laid a practical sisal runner with a leather border that matches the dining room rug.
A console table and stool give the hall style. A mirror made up of different elements and featuring bronze and smoked finishes was hung above. As well as adding a light-reflective decorative feature, it conceals the flat’s entry phone. Behind, Olga used the same wallpaper as in the dining area.
Atrium console, Made in Design. Blocks mirror, Natuzzi.
Atrium console, Made in Design. Blocks mirror, Natuzzi.
The stairs lead down to the flat’s two bedrooms. Wall fittings wash light across the staircase while a statement pendant and artwork create an appealing view when you enter the home.
Mercury Mini pendant light, Artemide.
Mercury Mini pendant light, Artemide.
The master bedroom has a more opulent look than the other rooms. “The couple wanted it to feel like a really posh hotel,” Olga says. She designed an oversized headboard for the space that’s constructed using textured wallpaper framed in brass.
Textured wallpaper, Lincrusta. Bedside lights, Flos.
Want to wake up feeling relaxed? Steal ideas from these bedrooms
Textured wallpaper, Lincrusta. Bedside lights, Flos.
Want to wake up feeling relaxed? Steal ideas from these bedrooms
The children share the second bedroom. With limited room, Olga opted for a single headboard in linen for both beds, creating a much cleaner look than two separate ones would achieve. Here, as in the main bedroom, the beds have concealed storage to maximise the space available.
Opposite the beds, Olga used the classic String shelving system to create space for books and accessories.
Shelving, String.
Tell us…
What do you like best about this sophisticated flat? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Shelving, String.
Tell us…
What do you like best about this sophisticated flat? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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Gerry Rust, you do make me chuckle
I think it's a great success in injecting character - I know what Gerry Rust means about the kids' room and the books - but I suspect that was just done for styling purposes and isn't like that normally :).
Super design if you have two children of the same sex